Circular Economy in Industrial Design Research: A Review

Kirsten van Dam, Luca Simeone, Duygu Keskin, Brian Baldassarre, Monia Niero and Nicola Morelli
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Kirsten van Dam: Out Of Office, Design & Innovation, Halgreensgade 16, st. th., 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
Luca Simeone: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, A. C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark
Duygu Keskin: Department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Brian Baldassarre: Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands
Monia Niero: Department of Planning, Section for Sustainable Design and Transition, Aalborg University, A. C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark
Nicola Morelli: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, A. C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: In the past decades, industrial design practice and research have focused extensively on how to optimize production and consumption, as a way to prevent negative environmental impacts, such as resource depletion, pollution, and excessive waste. Recently, the “circular economy” concept is increasingly used to achieve environmental benefits and economic growth simultaneously. Industrial design can contribute to a circular economy by fostering systems changes to achieve durability, optimal reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling of products and materials. Indeed, researchers have examined both the theoretical and practical aspects of how design knowledge can support the transition to a circular economy. However, this body of knowledge has not been systematically analyzed yet. To address this critical gap, this paper poses the following question: How has industrial design research so far contributed to advancing the circular economy knowledge? Accordingly, we survey relevant design literature focusing on the circular economy, through a review of contributions published in 42 scientific journals. Based on our results, we discuss how industrial design practices can potentially contribute to a circular economy across four thematic areas: (1) design for circular production processes, (2) design for circular consumption, (3) design to support policy towards the circular economy, and (4) design education for the circular economy.

Keywords: circular economy; circular design; sustainable design; design research; literature review; design education; policy support; industrial design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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